Electronics industry gathers for CES 2011

The technology industry is gathering in Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show which starts this week.

The show is the largest electronics exhibition in the world and this year over 1,200 companies will be exhibiting, a 25 per cent increase on last year. CES officially opens on Thursday, but press briefings begin on Wednesday.

Tablets are expected to be high on the agenda, and new announcements are expected from manufacturers seeking to compete with Apple's iPad. Vizio and Archos have already announced new hardware.

Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer is expected to use his keynote address to unveil a Windows 7 tablet, HP is rumoured to be releasing a Palm device based on the WebOS platform and Nicholas Negroponte has promised an OLPC tablet.

Smartphones and wireless data will also be at the forefront. Verizon will be giving a keynote, and handset manufacturers are expected to release a clutch of handsets and outline plans for LTE and WiMax wireless deployment.

Once again several prominent consumer electronics companies are making a series of announcements around 3D technology, particularly in smart TV sets that Intel has been pushing.

Problems in the technology and lacklustre sales so far will mean that a big push is needed from this side of the market

Over 125,000 visitors are expected at the conference, and V3.co.uk will be there to post the latest news, with up to the minute reports on the CES blog.